1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to processing network packets with multiple processing engines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Multi-processor computer systems include multiple processing engines performing operations at the same time. This is very useful when the computer system constantly receives new time-critical operations to perform.
For example, networking applications, such as routing, benefit from parallel processing. Routers receive multiple continuous streams of incoming data packets that need to be directed through complex network topologies. Routing determinations require a computer system to process packet data from many sources, as well as learn topological information about the network. Employing multiple processing engines speeds the routing process.
Another application benefiting from parallel processing is real-time video processing. A computer video system must perform complex compression and decompression operations under stringent time constraints. Employing multiple processors enhances system performance.
Parallel processing requires: (1) identifying operations to be performed, (2) assigning resources to execute these operations, and (3) executing the operations. Meeting these requirements under time and resource constraints places a heavy burden on a computer system. The system faces the challenges of effectively utilizing processing resources and making data available on demand for processing.
Over utilizing a system's processors results in long queues of applications waiting to be performed. Networking products employing traditional parallel processing encounter such processor utilization problems. These systems assign each incoming packet to a single processor for all applications. General processors, instead of specialized engines, perform applications requiring complex time-consuming operations. When each processor encounters a packet requiring complex processing, system execution speed drops substantially—processing resources become unavailable to receive new processing assignments or manage existing application queues.
Memory management also plays an important role in system performance. Many systems include main memory and cache memory, which is faster than main memory and more closely coupled to the system's processors. Systems strive to maintain frequently used data in cache memory to avoid time-consuming accesses to main memory.
Unfortunately, many applications, such as networking applications, require substantial use of main memory. Networking systems retrieve data packets from a communications network over a communications medium. Traditional systems initially store retrieved data packets in a local buffer, which the system empties into main memory. In order to perform applications using the data packets, the system moves the packets from main memory to cache memory—a time consuming process.
Traditional systems also incur costly memory transfer overhead when transmitting data packets. These systems transfer transmit packet data into main memory to await transmission, once processor operation on the data is complete—forcing the system to perform yet another main memory transfer to retrieve the data for transmission.
A need exists for a parallel processing system that effectively utilizes and manages processing and memory resources.